ABS ULTIMATE V2 36 has given me nothing but excellent service since day one. After I lost all software in Hurricane Katrina. ABS's best tech, Antonio was still here to help me locate software at my request. Way to go ABS, Thanks again Antonio for everything.

This review was modified by its author, jjf310, on 3/27/08 6:22 PM.

The customer service rep. was very professtional and thorough. He addressed my issue promptly and was very, very knowledgeable. Thanks Mr.Alvanez!!  
 
Ken

Computer is well built but out of the box there were software incompatibilities (related to sound). Issue fixed but tech support isn't as helpful as I would hope. They are inclined to advise you to reinstall the operating system if there are freezes and similar problems rather than help you try to troubleshoot.  
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Review update. Since this review ABS Computers has called me multiple times....my estimation seven times, to explain my rating to them. In our first two conversations I explained in depth the rationale for what you are reading above. The last two times I told them tersely to stop calling me. This evening they left me a phone message. To say the least, their conduct is quite strange and if they call me again I'll need to contact the BBB. In the meantime, I'll need to reflect my current experience with them by modifying the rating.

This review was modified by its author, Greenwit, on 7/20/07 10:21 PM.

Last year I needed a new PC, and in the past I had always built my own computers, so I started doing so again. I went to newegg, and a few other websites for PC parts and put added up all the components I wanted in my new PC. After I had my system planned out nicely, I decided to look at a few companys to see what type of computers they offered, and for which prices. There was an Alienware system very similar to the one I decided to build for myself, but the problem is, they were charging about $800 more than the computer components themselves cost. I suppose that was the fee for the case with the little alien head on it? Not worth it, at all. Then I stumbled upon ABS. It had just what I wanted, but for a *sane* price. Much cheaper than alienware, and it was essentialy the same machine. I decided to go with ABS, rather than building the system myself, because the price was nearly the same, AND they offered friendly support. When I recieved my computer, it had already been tested and benchmarked by them, which really impressed me. They even included a portfolio with all the information about my computer, including printouts of several benchmarks they ran on the system.  
 
I'd reccomend going with ABS to anybody who wants a good bang for their buck, and nice customer service.

I recently bought an Ultimate X8 after going through reviews, Forum entries, etc. Because of some problem with my particular 4G configuration, I called ABS Tech Support for help. A dispatcher took my name and phone number and promised that I would be called back. I was !! About twenty minutes later by a Tech called James. He stepped me through several tests and was very thorough in explaining his rationale. He made the decision that the PC had to be returned for corrective action. At that point, most techs would turn the problem over and get on with other business but James retained ownership and more than that ... became a customer advocate supplying supporting evidence to Engineering. This is virtually unheard of in todays PC manufacturing environment and I congratulate ABS and in particular, James of Tech Support for their high level of support in a post-sales situations. I will have no hesitation in recommending ABS to anyone I encounter who is considering such a purchase. They surely do live up to their motto - "Always Better Service"

This review was modified by its author, dwjoy, on 4/5/07 11:06 AM.

334606:  
 
The machine I ordered differed greatly from the machine we received. In my non-expert opinion, with the exception of the graphics card (ordered a 8800GTS, received a 7600GT), we received a better machine.  
 
It has turned out to be a good machine.  
 
 
334607:  
 
If I had it to do over, I wouldn't have ordered any extras, like the t.v. tuner or the sound card. I like the machine now, it was just a lot of problems in the beginning.  
 

This review was modified by its author, quanarose, on 6/12/07 2:19 PM.

I ordered an Ultimate X8 II from these guys. The order process was very straight forward although it was a bit unusual to have to talk to a sales rep to get it ordered. the PC was shipped 7 days later. My credit card was charged 13 times. This obviously caused lots of problems with the VISA fraud department and further use of the card for the next 2 weeks. It took until 10/10/2006 for this to get totally resolved. At least I think it is totally resolved. The ABS customer service department basically said, "Oops. We are very sorry. Visa should have prevented this." It took me hours on the phone to get this finished up.  
 
Now, to the computer itself. I ordered a Logitech G15 keyboard and a different one was shipped. I asked for an RMA to be done and it took several attempts with customer service to get this handled. Each try with customer service takes a phone call to a dispatcher and then wait for a return call (usually within 5 hours).  
 
All said and done, the computer works fine and had they not had the credit card glitch, (which was an incredibly stressful event) and sent the wrong key board, I would have glowing remarks here. As it stands, I would not recommend these guys. There are other boutiques with better attitudes to post sales customer service than ABS.  
 
I will say, that though out the process, through all the mistakes, they did make an effort to correct the problems. There were just so many of them!

I seriously needed a new computer for some time and I really wanted to get a great computer without really dropping a ton of cash. I have done some research and checked out a few companies, ABS, Cyberpower, IBuyPower in particular and a few others. After some careful thought I chose ABS. I emailed them to ask if there was a will-call option for the fact I was really nervous about damage that will happen during shipping. Sally emailed back and said yes. So far ABS reps like AL and Andy have been helpful and informative. So here I am waiting for the day for this thing to come. I will give you guys an update when it arrives and another one 6 months down the line.  
 
Update: 8-16-2006  
 
Finally got my computer after picking it up from ABS. I opened it up and revealed a T-Shirt, a binder, the big computer box that held the desktop and two small boxes which contained manuals,cds, and spare parts and cables.  
Upon hooking up all the cables and starting the machine I couldnt help but notice how well built this came out. Everything works pretty good so far without a hitch. Its quiet compared to my old desktop except when I play games. Even then it doesnt really seem loud. I installed HF2 and looks and runs great. So far so good is all I can say for now. Ill give another review in about 6 months to give you guys a heads up if I run into anything. But for now this computer works exactly as ABS promised.  

This review was modified by its author, Tac0G0d, on 8/16/06 11:21 PM.

Very good quality components to choose from at an excellent web site. Paying for the computer took three tries and was getting quite frustrating. I've had various problems with this computer since I got it almost four months ago, some not due to the computer itself, but did have to wipe the hard drive at one point and load everything back on again. Tech support can be hard to get ahold of, but once I did the personnel were very willing to help once they understood my problem(s). Advice: always start out with the main point or there is a tendency to blow you off at first. Some personnel were knowledgable enough to solve my problem, others weren't, but they all gave it their best shot. I've not come up with a problem that persistence did not solve. I would probably buy again from ABS for my next computer, but would find it difficult to recommend ABS to my friends and family because I think you would have to be fairly technologically astute.

Where do you go to get a custom box if you don't have the time or patience to make it yourself? iBuyPower and CyberPower have awesome prices and great configurability but you're taking a major gamble with them, it will be a long time before you see a computer, or more likely your money back when they screw it up. The giants like Dell have an even worse track record, and the poorest selections on the internet. The established players like Alienware and Falcon charge an extra 500 or 600 for their logo on the case.  
 
I read the reviews for ABS here, and then created a few configurations on their site, and decided that they were the ones to go with. The site is easy to use, the component prices are on par with NewEgg prices, with in depth specs and big pictures of most of the components (top of the line, too - the GeForce eVGA 7900 GT they are using is the CO Superclocked model, not the stock GT). I placed my order on the 3rd, and on the 4th there were some credit card verification hiccups, so I contacted them to sort it out. I was on hold for a few minutes (2 or 3), then the CSR took my info and gave me the dreaded "someone will be in touch with you soon" message. I started to sweat, but within the next 20 minutes, 2 different customer service reps had contacted me via email to let me know that they had sorted out the problem and to update me on the status of my order, respectively. That's 3 human beings in half an hour, all of them courteous, fast, and professional.  
 
My computer isn't due to arrive for a few days, so I will update as the order progresses. So far, so very f*cking good.  
 
Update 4/13: The computer arrived on the 11th, securely packaged and ready to go. All discs and manuals were tucked into a binder with ziploc folders, and all cables were supplied. After a few minutes of monitor setup and plugging cords in, I turned her on... and I will be ruining my pants for weeks, this thing is fast (slightly modified M6 Sniper configuration, 2 gigs RAM, AMD 4000+, geForce 7900GT, no peripherals since I have a closet full of em). No dead pixels on the monior (Samsung 740N Black), FarCry and HL2 run like a dream. Editing our home movies doesn't mean it's time to get up and make some food anymore. Awesome computer and a wonderful experience buying through ABS, I will definitely be back when this computer starts lagging behind the curve. Elder Scrolls Oblivion, here I come... wife and kids, I still love you no matter how the next few weeks go.

This review was modified by its author, catbutt, on 4/13/06 3:44 PM.

3/9/2006: I placed my order at the ABS website at about 10pm. Everything went smoothly. I was extremely pleased with both the price and configurability. I was able to get a much more powerful computer for a lower price than other places I had been considering.  
 
3/10/2006: At 9am I received a phonecall to confirm my billing/shipping address and payment method. A few hours later my payment was confirmed, system components were prepaired, and assembly began for my new system.  
 
3/11&12/2006: Non-business days. I didn't expect any changes in the status of my order.  
 
3/13/2006: My computer finished being assembled and went through quality testing. I was very impressed that it took less than 2 business days from start to finish.  
 
3/14/2006: The computer spent the day being packed for shipping. I was a little disappointed that it didn't ship today, but maybe I was expecting too much.  
 
I received an automated email from ABS to let me know that my account had successfully been charged for the price of my order. I did appreciate that they didn't charge me until the system was ready to go; as opposed to the charge first, build later method some other sellers use.  
 
3/15/2006: I found out that my computer had shipped on the 14th after all, at least partially. The system shipped in two containers, from two sepperate locations and its status didn't change to shipped until all the parts were in transit.  
 
I received another automated email with shipping and tracking information. However, the tracking numbers were listed as FedEx when they were actually UPS.  
 
3/16/2006: My eagerly awaited new computer spent the day in transit.  
 
3/17/2006: The computer arrived!  
 
The computer didn't boot at first because it was unable to find the hard drive. The power cable for the hard drive had gotten disconnected. I fixed this myself without calling tech support. Nothing else had gotten jostled loosed.  
 
While inspecting the computer's case I found a dent on the bottom left side which caused the side panel not to seat properly. After some flexing out of the dent I was able to mostly remedy this, but the panel will probably never line up prefectly. The boxes themselves weren't damaged; which leads me to believe that the case was dented before or during packaging.  
 
The door on the front of the case had masking tape all along the edge. This was probably to prevent chipping or scratching if the door became loose during shipping. The tape left gummy glue residue behind, which I find quite annoying and may require glue/paint remover to get rid of.  
 
Aside from the above difficulties, which are minor at most, the computer works like a dream. I feel that I have gotten a great value and will definitely buy from ABS for my next system.

This review was modified by its author, Cantrip, on 3/19/06 12:01 PM.

I've had the computer for about two years. During that time, there have been some problems, mostly not due to the computer itself. In every case, even now when it's out of warranty, there has always been willing and competent help. For this last problem, which was caused by a dead battery needing changing, I couldn't start the computer again. After calling, I got Joel Alvanez. What a nice guy, and with a sense of humor, too! I'm hard of hearing, so I needed patience. Joel was very understanding and helpful. I've dealt with Microsoft techs and others, too, who live in New Delhi and have very strong accents, hard to understand. Plus which, the wait for them is often a very long time. ABS is SO much better.

I would say I was completely dissatisfied but they had one redeeming factor that I will get to later. I originally placed an order on 11/11/05 for a DVD Burner that is specific to my Compal CL56 laptop. The order went through, my credit card got charged, and then I received an email saying that I had cancelled the order. I contacted them only to find out they they had cancelled the order because the item was not in stock even though the website said it was. They told me to call them in a few days to see if the item is in stock (what's the point of having a website if it's not going to accurately portray inventory). They also refunded my money within 3 days (not too bad).  
 
I would have called them but everytime you call them you get routed to an operator who gets your phone number and says someone will call you back. They might call you back in 5 minutes or 5 hours you never really know (I played more phone tag with them than a 3 year old with his imaginary friend).  
 
I watched their site for over two weeks checking it almost every day and it always showed the DVD burner as being in stock. Finally, on 11/29/05 I placed the order again. This time it showed up but the drive was defective. I emailed them to get an RMA and was told "due to my special circumstances" I should call them (this is the response I got everytime I emailed them from this point forward). So I played some more phone tag and finally got an RMA number but they made me pay the shipping back even though their website says otherwise right here:  
 
http://www.abs.com/csfaqs/answer.asp?FaqCode=10013  
 
They said that "systems" has to do with entire computer systems and does not include parts but I don't find that extremely clear. There should be another part that says who pays shipping for components...but I digress. They told me I could call to discuss it but, not wanting to play more phone tag, I just shipped it back.  
 
I figured that'd be the end and I would get my new drive and be good to go. About a week later or so I got my new package. They sent me a different DVD burner that cost $35 less but in no way offered to reimburse me for the $35 difference. Not only that, but the CL56's are designed in such a way that the bevel on the front of the burner needs to be angled at the bottom to line up with the laptop case. That's why I ordered the one I did and it matched in color. The one they sent was the wrong color and had a flat bevel. I tried swapping parts but they did not line up.  
 
I then played phone tag with them over a period of 3 weeks trying to just get this squared away. After finally talking to someone who could help me out I find out they no longer carry the drive I need so I get an RMA for refund.  
 
The only redeeming factor in all of this is that they refunded me the price of the burner plus the amount I paid to have it shipped to me originally.  
 
I will never buy from ABS again (mainly because of the phone tag but also because of all the hassles). They are affiliated with NewEgg which seems like a slap in the face to NewEgg. I have nothing but praise for NewEgg and their RMA process is done completely online...no need to be a professional phone tag player.

I purchased my computer from ABS to skip the hassle of putting it together myself. I have been completely satisfied with the experience. Ordering from the website was simple, I had the options to choose how I wanted my computer, and the prices were great compared to the other sites I checked out.  
 
The computer was built and shipped in a short period of time. Disks and documentation came in a binder and made for easy organizing. The computer is amazing, built custom to my liking and runs perfectly. I've had zero issues with it.  
 
All and all I was very happy with ABS. I've told some of my friends about it and they are looking to make purchases in the future. Years down the road when I need a new system I'll likely be sure to come back to ABS myself.

I would like to thank your Technician, Joel A. Alvanez, for the outstanding support I received over the past few days. Joel worked with me for days with out ever giving up on the problem. I had a tota; system crash and Joel worked with me until it was restored. He was there every step of the way and explained what we were doing. His effort was to educate me as well as restore my system. As a result of his knowledge and cooperation, when I am in the maket for a new system, I will look at ABS Computers. Thanks so much and please accept my gratitude.  
 
J. Shelby